WHAT IS CORNEAL CROSS-LINKING?
Corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL) is a minimally invasive in-office procedure which consists of applying a Riboflavin solution to the surface of the eye, followed by the use of a UV light.
The goal of the CXL corneal cross-linking treatment is to stop corneal ectasia in its tracks
through the strengthening of chemical bonds within the cornea.
Who is a Candidate for Corneal Collagen Cross-linking (CXL)?
Patients with the following are typically good candidates for Cross-linking (CXL):
- Keratoconus and Corneal Ectasia
- Pellucid Marginal Degeneration
- Terrien’s Marginal Degeneration
- Post-Refractive Surgery Ectasia
Not sure if you qualify for CXL? Schedule a consultation to meet with Dr. Nahl and the experts at La Jolla LASIK Institute to determine if you’re a candidate for corneal collagen cross-linking.
La Jolla LASIK Institute was named a Corneal Cross-Linking Center of Excellence
WHAT CAN I EXPECT WITH CORNEAL CROSS-LINKING (CXL)? 
INITIAL EXAMINATION
During your consultation, we conduct a complete eye exam, in which we use advanced software that studies the shape of the front and back of your cornea and the thickness throughout your cornea. The software also grades the level of keratoconus or keratectasia that you might have. This helps us to determine if CXL is the right choice for you.
CXL PROCEDURE
The entire procedure typically takes about one hour and 45 minutes if we are only treating one eye or three hours if we are treating both.
DETAILS
Throughout the duration of the procedure, we make sure that you are feeling comfortable. Before the procedure begins, you will be given a Valium and numbing eye drops so you won’t feel any pain during the procedure.
We begin the procedure by applying drops of Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) to the cornea about every two minutes. We also measure your cornea thickness periodically, which will determine how much Riboflavin is applied. After the Riboflavin has been absorbed, we will expose the cornea to UV light for approximately 30 minutes.
We use FDA-approved Avedro technology with the Dresden protocol, which has proven to be 5x more successful than other methods.
As with all procedures that we perform, we ensure that we are using the most state-of-the-art technology to give you the best results possible.
POST CXL PROCEDURE
Results of the procedure vary between patients, but it is common to have worsened vision directly after surgery and experience an improvement in vision a few weeks post-op. Contact lenses should not be worn for at least 4 weeks after treatment, but glasses can be worn directly after.
HOW MUCH DOES CXL COST?
Many insurance plans cover part or all of the procedure costs. Regardless of your insurance coverage, we will work with you to make the CXL procedure as affordable as possible.
Want more information about CXL? We can answer any questions you have about the procedure.
